October 06, (THEWILL) — Rangers have dismissed head coach, Russell Martin, following a disappointing 1-1 draw with Falkirk on Sunday, ending his brief spell after only 17 matches in charge. The club confirmed the departure of Martin alongside assistant head coach Matt Gill and first-team coach Mike Williamson, stating that results had failed to meet expectations despite acknowledging the hard work of the departing staff.
The decision followed escalating fan anger, with police required to escort Martin from the stadium after supporters attempted to block the team bus from leaving. The manager arrived at Ibrox in June on a three-year contract under new American ownership, promising tactical modernisation. However, his tenure proved disastrous from the outset. Rangers went winless in the Scottish Premiership until late September and suffered a catastrophic 9-1 aggregate defeat to Club Brugge in the Champions League playoffs.
The former Southampton boss managed just one victory in seven league fixtures, drawing five, and leaves with only five wins across all competitions since August. The Englishman’s side also lost both opening UEFA Europa League matches, compounding a season of misery for the Glasgow club. Rangers currently sit eighth in the league table, 11 points adrift of leaders Hearts and nine behind bitter rivals Celtic in second place. The gap is a significant blow to a club accustomed to challenging for domestic honours.
This marks the fourth managerial change at Rangers in 2025. Philippe Clement was sacked in February, followed by Barry Ferguson’s 83-day interim period before Martin’s appointment. The revolving door in the dugout reflects deep instability at the club despite efforts to rebuild under new ownership.
The club has promised further updates in due course but faces pressure to appoint a successor capable of salvaging a campaign that has already spiralled out of control. Rangers supporters will hope the next appointment can reverse the decline and restore competitive form domestically and in Europe.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
